Metal Youngsters Unlocking the Truth Ink Major Deal With Sony Records

Last year, Unlocking the Truth were a band of 11- and 12-year-old kids playing the streets of Times Square in New York City. A year later, the youngsters have just signed a major record deal with Sony.

Unlocking the Truth first caught our attention last year when footage of them performing on the streets of New York turned up on YouTube and started to go viral. We then caught them opening for ex-Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison's band Scar the Martyr. See our recap and photos from that gig here.

Now, after playing high-profile gigs like Coachella (where we also caught their set) and appearing in a national ad campaign for Verizon Wireless, the mainstream music world has caught onto the Unlocking the Truth phenomenon, with Sony signing the band to a potential $1.7 million deal.

According to the New York Daily News, the band has signed a two-album deal worth $60,000 for the first disc and as much as $350,000 for the second disc. On top of that, there's also an option for four more albums that could push the deal to be worth $1.7 million in total.

Unlocking the Truth are made up of 13-year-old guitarist Malcolm Brickhouse, 13-year-old bassist Alec Atkins and 12-year-old drummer Jarad Dawkins.

"It’s so exciting. We’re jumping over the moon,” says Jarad's mother, Tabatha Dawkins, of the record deal. "What started out as play dates went to Times Square and now this. It’s been one great thing after another.”

Congrats to Unlocking the Truth, who we've been fans of since they first started rocking the streets of the Big Apple. Way to carry the metal torch for the next generation!

Check Out Unlocking the Truth Rocking Out in Concert:

See Unlocking the Truth Behind the Scenes of Their Verizon Wireless Campaign